


These Ramparts, How They Crumble

by brooklynapple



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-05
Updated: 2019-12-05
Packaged: 2021-02-26 05:41:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21678409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brooklynapple/pseuds/brooklynapple
Summary: Hilda and Dorothea discuss the wages of love and war.
Relationships: Dorothea Arnault/Petra Macneary, Marianne von Edmund/Hilda Valentine Goneril
Comments: 6
Kudos: 74





	These Ramparts, How They Crumble

**Author's Note:**

> This started out as an attempt at writing a post-timeskip support between Hilda and Dorothea, but went in a distinctly shippy direction. Sorry not sorry!

On the eve after a grueling battle, Dorothea spots Hilda staring out over a rampart of the monastery, lost in thought.

“Hilda, I didn’t expect to see you here. Are you all right? I know the battle today was...really hard. And you were right there in the middle of it.” She settles quietly next to Hilda against the rampart, gazing out over the dark fields.

“Oh, hi Dorothea.” Hilda's mouth crooks in a small, exhausted smile. “I...think I’m okay. But yeah, it just keeps getting harder, you know? We won today, I guess, but some people barely made it out. And I just keep thinking that next time, or the time after that, we might not all make it. And I don’t know what I’d do if that happened.”

Dorothea sighs deeply. “That thought is never far from my mind these days. We’ve seen so much death. We’ve *caused* so much death.” She laughs ruefully. “All in the name of surviving, and protecting those we love. What happens if we can’t protect them? What are we fighting for after that?” She shakes her head. “I’m sorry, I came over here concerned about you, and I’m sure I’m really not helping.”

“It’s okay…” Hilda says quietly. “I think we all must be thinking those things right now. About how to protect those close to us. I get so scared going out on the battlefield, not for myself, but for what might happen to everyone else, especially…” her voice trails off and she looks away, blinking back tears.

Dorothea reaches out to put her hand on Hilda’s shoulder. “Have you told her? About how you feel on the battlefield, or...any of it?”

Hilda looks up, startled. “I...no…I didn’t think anyone knew…” She scrubs at a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“Hilda, sweetie, in other circumstances I’d make some witty remark about how everyone at the monastery who has eyes knows, but for right now...look, we don’t know what will happen tomorrow, right? Any battle could be our last. Life is too short and too horrifyingly expendable to waste without making sure the people we love know it.” She pauses to glance knowingly at Hilda. “Especially someone as good-hearted as Marianne. Who obviously adores you.”

Hilda’s cheeks go nearly as pink as her hair, but she smiles softly. “You’re right, I know you are, it’s just...it all got so hard and complicated. We’re at war, she’s the sole heir to House Edmund, who knows what the world will even look like if we come out the other side of this, how do you even plan for a future that’s so uncertain?” She laughs and shakes her head. “When did I even start caring about all of this anyway? Can’t we just go back to the days when all I wanted was to look cute and get out of doing chores?”

“Somehow I think those days are behind us now,” Dorothea says wistfully. “But as for the rest of it, I have to imagine that the only daughter of House Goneril, a war hero who bears a crest *and* a hero’s relic, won’t have trouble impressing House Edmund. Especially one particular member of House Edmund. It’s practically a story fit for an opera.” She grins slyly.

“Okay okay enough you’re going to make me blush again!” She gives Dorothea a playful shove. “And anyway what about you, have you taken your own advice? Don’t think we haven’t noticed you watching over a certain Brigid warrior on the battlefield!”

Dorothea sighs. “We’ve...talked. A bit. But I’m trying to be realistic. She’s the future queen of Brigid, and I’m, what, a former opera singer? She has to put her people first, and I don’t really offer much in that respect. She hasn’t ever said as much, but I’d hate to put her in that position.”

Hilda gives Dorothea her very best skeptical look. “Dorothea. Do you even listen to yourself? What was that you just told me about life being short and expendable? You think it doesn’t apply to you too? We could all be gone tomorrow! If I have to be brave and confess, so do you - I’m definitely not doing all that work on my own! If I’m telling Marianne, you’re telling Petra!” She crosses her arms over her chest and cocks her head expectantly.

Dorothea laughs, defeated. “Okay, you win, I’m being just ridiculous as you are. You’re right, it’s a deal, we’ll both tell them. Before the next battle. Whenever that might be.” She offers a hand to Hilda to seal the bargain, and Hilda warmly accepts it.

“Hey, Dorothea…thank you. For checking on me, and for pulling me out of the bad place I was in. I know things are still gonna be hard, but I’m glad I’ve got you on my side.” She smiles as Dorothea pulls her into a hug.

“Oh Hilda, of course, any time. We all have to be here for each other. It’s the only way we’ll get through this. Which reminds me, as part of our pact, shall we meet here in two days’ time to report on our ah, ‘love missions’?” 

“Eww, only if you promise to never call them that again!”

“All right, Lady Goneril, I suppose you have a deal.” She gives Hilda one of her trademark winks, and they walk arm in arm back to the heart of the monastery.

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me on Twitter: @quorniya


End file.
